The Empire Bank's army of debt collectors came and went just as quickly.
It seemed the Green Shade Territory had entered a brief period of peace.
Inside the Lord's Mansion, the three ministers sat down with the new Lord for a long talk, a meeting that lasted for two hours.
For the first hour and a half, Lian educated them on the basics of banking and finance. Only if they understood could they better convey the concepts of savings, loans, and installment loans to the common people.
The last half hour was all about theme parties.
The three ministers were already looking at Lian in a new light, thinking him a business genius, but they were soon left dizzy by his various ideas for theme parties.
They felt as if they were once again seeing Old Moria, hearing him talk about holding masquerade balls, pajama balls, and bonfire parties.
Anxiety began to creep into their hearts once more. If it weren't for Old Moria's years of unrestrained extravagance, how could the Green Shade Territory possibly have fallen into such massive debt?
"Lord, we have no money. Holding balls costs money, too."
"I'm not the one hosting them, so why should I be the one to pay? Spread the word that the new Lord is eager to integrate into noble circles and has decided to open the Lord's Mansion to the public for one month. During this month, regardless of what kind of ball a noble or wealthy merchant wants to host, the Lord is willing to grace them with his presence and provide the venue free of charge. The most important thing is to celebrate with the people."
The portly Minister of Finance, Omari Hani, had eyes that lit up. He never imagined such a move was possible. What he had learned from the new Lord in a single afternoon was more than he had learned in the past twenty years. He felt he had benefited immensely.
"If that's the case, then there will definitely be many people willing to host their balls here!"
Lian picked up his coffee, preparing to see his guests out.
"Alright, I'll leave the specific execution to you all. You may leave now. Miss Sophie, please stay behind."
The three ministers left the meeting room with complicated feelings. On one hand, they were amazed that Lian was a business prodigy; on the other, they began to worry he had inherited his father's hedonistic and lecherous nature.
"Anna, Annie, I've been starving since I woke up. Are you two really planning to watch your new Lord starve to death?"
Only then did Anna and Annie realize that Lian hadn't eaten yet.
"We'll go have the chef prepare something right away."
The Maids turned and left.
Only Lian and Sophie remained in the room.
"Regardless of what the old Lord told you, I must clarify one fact: I have indeed acquired the [Bordering on Loss of Control] Entry."
Sophie said, her face devoid of expression.
"So what? Are you just going to willingly go to your death?"
Lian looked into Sophie's pale blue eyes. They were completely devoid of spirit, as if she were ready for death at any moment.
Sophie was surprised. No one had ever asked her that question.
"You're only eighteen. Aren't you afraid of death?"
"This is a Witch's fate. Being able to live to eighteen is already a blessing from Tiger. Many Witches don't even live past fifteen."
"You have served the Green Shade Territory for six years, killed countless monsters, and saved millions of its people. You shouldn't be sent to the guillotine. You should live."
"I'm about to lose control. It will bring disaster to the Green Shade Territory. Everyone will die because of me."
Sophie spoke with a calm expression, but a strange emotion flickered in her eyes.
Perhaps it was because Lian was the first person to stand up and say, "You should live."
"I'll only ask you this: do you want to live?"
Lian's deep eyes stared intently into Miss Witch's.
Sophie froze for a moment, then fell silent before speaking in a low voice.
"...It's impossible."
"What if I could clean your Out-of-Control Entry?"
The corners of Lian's mouth turned up slightly, forming a bright smile.
A rare expression of surprise appeared on the silver-haired girl's face.
"No one can clean an Out-of-Control Entry."
The Guardian Witches have existed for hundreds of years. The Wise Ones developed Magic Stones that could manipulate Magic Power, forging bracelets and anklets to restrain a Witch's power.
The Wise Ones also created the Collar worn around a Witch's neck. If a Witch couldn't be sent to the guillotine, her life could still be taken by detonating the Collar.
But the Wise Ones never discovered a way to clean Entries, not even a method to delay a Witch's loss of control.
From the moment a Witch grasped her Power, it meant she was on the path to losing control.
When the True God Tiger granted Witches their Extraordinary Power, he also doomed them to short lives.
This was what the Wise Ones called fate's equivalent exchange.
The stronger a Witch's Power, the faster she would lose control.
For a Witch like Sophie to last until eighteen was already a miracle.
For most Witches to survive into adulthood, they had to rarely use their Magic Power, or even never use it at all.
If a way to delay a Witch's loss of control truly existed, the Empire would have made it widespread long ago. It would mean saving countless Witches and making the Empire even stronger.
"Why would I lie to you?"
Lian said.
"Perhaps you want something from me."
Sophie guessed.
"Yes, that's right. Let's make a deal."
"?"
"I'll clear your [Bordering on Loss of Control] Entry, and in return, you will swear to be loyal to me and me alone from this day forward."
'I need a powerful female bodyguard.'
'My ability with Entries is both a gift and a curse. If any other powerful figures found out I have this ability, wouldn't they imprison me and slice me up for research? Even if I wasn't dissected, I would lose my personal freedom and become nothing more than a cleaning tool.'
'Today, it's Sophie wearing the Collar. Tomorrow, it could be me.'
Lian had to prevent that from happening at all costs.
"Loyal to you... and you alone?"
Sophie fell silent once more.
This would mean she'd have to renounce her oaths, forsaking her Loyalty to the Guardian Bureau as well as her Loyalty to the Green Shade Territory.
Lian once again took out the key and unlocked the Collar from her neck, along with the heavy bracelets and anklets.
"I won't restrict your freedom. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do. You can develop your own hobbies—read books, grow flowers, raise fish, grow fruit, cook. You can wear pretty dresses, go shopping like a normal girl, and have tea parties with friends. You can live."
Lian's words moved Sophie. She didn't seem to have any hobbies.
Besides fighting, it seemed she had never done any of those things.
She had a whole set of her own medals of honor, which could decorate her grave after she died, but while she was alive, she had nothing.
She wanted to read books, grow flowers, raise fish, grow fruit, and cook.
She wanted to go shopping like a normal girl and have tea parties with friends.
She wanted to live.
A light suddenly appeared in the girl's azure pupils, no longer dim and lifeless. Her eyes reddened slightly, as if moved by the sight of hope.
But she was afraid that feeling hope would only lead her to fall into complete despair.
She asked hesitantly, "Can you... really... save me?"
"Yes. I was sent by the gods to save you, Miss Witch."
Lian winked at the girl. "So, do you agree?"